Pastor quits one gubernatorial campaign to enter the race herself

She was his campaign manager in the race for governor. Now she's a competitor for the state's top job.

Within days of publicly leaving Republican Brian Levine's camp, the Rev. Shannon Wright launched her own campaign to become New Jersey's governor with an event Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Somerset.

Star-Ledger file photoRev. Shannon Wright of Plainfield, who is now running for governor, in a 2005 photo.

"I can no longer endorse a candidate that has demonstrated inability to make the hard decisions necessary to put our state back on solid ground," Wright said in a statement. "We need a strong, clear-thinking leader with a heart of the people, an ear for wisdom, and a spirit of the greater good."

Wright, 42, said today she started working for Levine, Franklin Township's mayor, because she liked him personally, but she left the campaign a few weeks ago because they had different goals.

Levine said he did not know the Plainfield resident was planning her own gubernatorial bid when she resigned, describing their split as "two business partners who say, 'Maybe we should pursue our own businesses.'"

He said the two differed mainly on strategy and that he wanted to run a campaign focusing more on grassroots than media.

"One has the right to pursue whatever they want," Levine said. "I wish her well."

Star-Ledger file photoBrian Levine in January, when he announced his intention to run for New Jersey governor.

Wright's resignation occurred amid a challenge to Levine's campaign by another Republican running for governor. On Thursday, Levine was thrown off the Republican ballot after judges upheld the challenge by opponent Steve Lonegan and ruled Levine's nominating petition did not contain enough valid signatures.

Levine is appealing the ruling, which will be decided by Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells.

Wright -- a registered Democrat in 2008, according to state voter records -- plans to run as an independent. As such, she does not need to compete in a primary election, but must submit 1,000 petition signatures by June 2.

The first-time candidate said she is not concerned about running against Levine in a general election.

"Our paths won't cross for a while yet," she said. "And who knows what the field will look like at that point in time."

A New Jersey resident since childhood, Wright co-founded Faith, Grace and Mercy World Outreach Ministries with her husband, Pastor Michael Wright, according to her campaign. She has worked on curriculum development for charter schools, co-hosted a radio show, "Know Your Community," on WKMB-1070 AM, served as youth guidance commissioner for Plainfield and is active with the state NAACP.

Wright graduated from Virginia State University with degrees in business communication and economics. She also holds state pageant titles, including Mrs. Union County United States, Mrs. New Jersey US Beauties and Mrs. New Jersey New Millennium, according to her campaign.

Her main campaign issues will be health care, education and economic development. She declined to offer specifics on her plan in an interview today, but her statement said she would challenge "every municipality to perform an independent audit of the needs and resources of their communities and put together a plan to fill the gaps."